The Shingles Vaccine Could Be a Secret Weapon Against Heart Attacks

The benefits of avoiding shingles through vaccinations are piling up. New research out this week has found a link between getting vaccinated for shingles and a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes. Researchers from Kyung Hee University in South Korea led the study, published Monday in the European Heart Journal. They studied the medical records of over a million South Korean residents, finding that shingles-vaccinated people were noticeably less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than unvaccinated people. The findings are the latest to indicate that shingles is even worse for our health than currently thought. “This suggests that the vaccine may provide not only protection against shingles itself but also potential benefits for heart health,” study researcher Sooji Lee told Gizmodo in an email. Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same germ that causes chickenpox in children. Though chickenpox is usually short-lasting, if unpleasant, the virus can survive ... Read full article.